


A Fine Line

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: 7 Days of Robron 2018 [3]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: AU, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 02:42:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15257655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: 7 days of Robron - Day 3: Robron + funny + “I’m not stuck.”





	A Fine Line

**Author's Note:**

> This isn’t exactly funny... but you can’t beat a fake dating AU,right?

“We’re mates, right?” Robert asked Aaron as he flopped down on the sofa next to him and handed him a beer.

“’Course.”

“And mates help each other out, right?”

“Yes…”

“Do each other favours…”

“What do you want? I don’t have any money. You know Cain doesn’t pay me all that well.”

“I don’t need money. And I don’t know how you’re always skint, you always eat my food and drink my beer. That should save you a lot of money.”

Aaron rolled his eyes.

“Alright let’s go to the pub then and I’ll buy you a pint.”

“Your mum owns the place, you drink for free. That doesn’t count.” Robert replied. “But that’s not what this is about. I need you to do me a favour.”

“Yeah so you said. What do you want?”

“Well there’s this girl I work with - ”

“No.” Aaron cut in. “I’m not helping you pull some blonde in a tight skirt again.”

“No, no, no – wait, what do you mean _again_?”

“Katie, Rebecca, Tracy, and that girl we met in Spain… what was her name again… Anna?”

“Amanda.” Robert mumbled. “But I don’t need your help pulling anyone. I need you to come to a party with me and pretend you’re my boyfriend.”

Aaron choked on his beer.

“You what?!”

“This girl I work with, Leyla, she thinks you’re my boyfriend.”

“And why does she think that?”

“Well uhm… I might have told her that…”

“And why did you do that?”

“To get her off my back! She keeps trying to set me up with people since she broke up with her asshole of a boyfriend a few months ago.”

“So? Just tell her you’re not interested.”

“Don’t you think I’ve tried that? She set me up with her friend a while ago and we went on one date and it was alright, she was a nice girl… but well… that was it.”

“And you told her you have a boyfriend so you wouldn’t have to tell that girl you weren’t interested in another date?” Aaron guessed, he knew Robert too well.

“Sort of?”

Aaron sighed.

“You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

“I know, I’m an idiot. But will you help me? Please?”

“Why does it have to be me? Why don’t you just call someone from your little black book?”

“My what?”

“Your list of conquests.”

“I don’t have a list of conquests!” Robert protested. “And it has to be you because I told her it’s you! You’re the only bloke I have pictures of on my phone! I showed her a selfie from your birthday party.”

Aaron’s last birthday party had been a wild one, since it’d doubled as Aaron’s best friend (and now Robert’s brother in law) Adam’s stag do. They’d gotten blind drunk and even though the details of the night were a little woozy, Aaron definitely remembered how he’d woken up in Robert’s bed. With Robert. Naked.

They’d both pretended nothing had happened but every time either of them had had a little too much to drink they ended up crossing the line from just friends to _more_.

“And now she thinks you’re dating me.” Aaron stated and Robert nodded.

“And I told her I’d bring you to her party. It’s her birthday party and it’s in some club. We won’t have to stay long… Just an hour or so and then we’ll leave so I can have my wicked way with you at home. I mean… that’s what we’ll tell her… of course.”

“Right.”

“And there’s a free bar.”

Aaron rolled his eyes.

“Fine. When is it?”

“Saturday. This Saturday.”

\---

“So what’s our story?”  Aaron asked as he lounged on Robert’s sofa while the other man put the finishing touches to his hair.

“Story?”

“Yeah. How we met and stuff. People always ask those things.”

“Oh… uhm… We grew up in the same village and became best friends as kids until we realised we were in love?” Robert suggested.

Aaron shrugged.

“Sure. Sounds good to me.”

“I mean… it’s pretty much the truth right? Minus the falling in love part…”

“Yeah… yeah exactly.” Aaron cleared his throat. “Now stop fussing with your hair or we’ll be late.”

The party was in a new nightclub in Hotten Aaron had heard about but never been to. He usually preferred a few drinks in the pub or Bar West if he was looking for someone to make him forget about his pathetic crush on his best friend.

“Come on babe.” Robert said, grabbing his hand as they walked up to the club. “Let’s go meet our audience.”

“Call me babe one more time and I’m dumping you and telling that Leyla girl you really like her friend and would love to go out with her again.” Aaron threatened.

“Noted.”

They entered the club and were greeted by Robert’s work mates almost right away. Aaron was about to ask who Leyla was when a pretty girl in a tight black dress walked over to them and threw her arms around Robert’s neck.

“Rob! You came!”

“Of course. Happy birthday.” He hugged her and kissed her cheek. “This is Aaron.”

“Hi. Happy birthday.” Aaron said friendly and held out his hand for Leyla to shake.

“Ooh the boyfriend. I was hoping I’d meet the man who bagged himself England’s most eligible bachelor.” She joked and the three of them laughed.

“Who says I bagged him and he didn’t bag me?” Aaron said, grinning at Robert. “He did the chasing. He had to work for it.”

“Really now? Do tell.”

“There’s nothing to tell.” Robert said before Aaron could embarrass him. “He’s my best friend in the world and things just sort of… grew between us. And then it took a while for me to figure out if he felt the same. Thankfully he did, didn’t you honey?” He said and kissed the glare off Aaron’s face.

“Daww, you two are so cute.” Leyla gushed. “There’s a photobooth in the other room, you should definitely take a picture together. I have to go say hi to some other people now, get yourselves a drink and I’ll catch you later.”

“Honey?” Aaron asked when Leyla was out of earshot. “Honey?!”

“What? You only said I couldn’t call you babe.” Robert said and made his way over to the bar where he ordered two beers for him and Aaron.

“Yeah but honey? What are we? 80 year old ladies?”

Robert laughed.

“Well maybe not the lady part. But I bet you’d be a cute grumpy old man.”

They took their drinks and joined Robert’s work mates at a table who were all friendly and very excited to finally meet Robert Sugden’s infamous boyfriend.

“I was beginning to think he’d made you up.” Finn, a slightly nerdy looking guy who apparently worked in accounting, told Aaron.

“Nope, I’m all real me.”

“So how did you two meet?” a girl called Priya asked.

“Oh uh, we grew up in the same village.” Robert said quickly.

“Aww how nice, childhood sweethearts.”

“Yeah something like that.”

“We’ve been friends forever. I know all of his dark secrets and disgusting habits.” Aaron joked. “He kicks in his sleep and snores when he’s had too much to drink.”

“I do not!”

“He does. But you get used to it.” Aaron said, ignoring Robert’s protest. “He’s also a big softie at heart.” He said and put his hand on Robert’s knee. “When Robert loves you, he really is all in and he’ll do anything for you. He adores his family, even his brother, and one day he’ll make a really great father.”

Robert blushed as everyone started aww-ing and Aaron kissed his cheek.

“And he’s a weirdo who likes cucumber sandwiches.” He added and everyone laughed.

“If that’s the worst you can think of love, you’ve got yourself a good one. Hold onto him.” Brenda, one of the older women said before knocking the last of her wine back.

Aaron gave Robert a soft smile.

“I plan to.”

One of the girls suggested a drinking game and that’s when Robert decided he had to get Aaron away from them before either of them got too drunk and would do or say things they’d later regret.

Like confessing your love to your best friend.

“Come on, let’s go check out the photobooth and get another drink.” He suggested and tugged on Aaron’s hand to get him to come with.

“I was enjoying myself.”

“Yeah, a little too much. What was all that about?”

“What? I’m supposed to be the loving boyfriend aren’t I? I’m playing my part.”

“Is that all it is? You playing a part?”

“That’s why I’m here aren’t I? What else should there be?”

“Nothing. I… I need some air.” Robert said and pushed open the fire exit. “I’m sorry that you’re stuck here with me. Just get another drink. I’ll be back in a minute.”

He slipped out the back door and sat down on some bins.

“Idiot.” He muttered to himself and ran his hands through his hair.

“Well I’m not going to argue with that.” Aaron, who had followed him outside, said as he walked up to him and sat down.

Robert snorted but continued to stare at his shoes.

“I’m not stuck.” Aaron said softly after a few minutes of the two of them sitting in silence. “I like spending time with you like this. I’m having a good time.”

“Yeah?” Robert asked, hopeful. “I didn’t ruin it with this stupid… act?”

“No… but I kind of wish it wasn’t an act.”

“What… what do you mean?”

“Come on Robert, not even you are this dumb.” Aaron teased before turning serious again. “I like you Robert. Like, like. I’m in love with you. Have been for a long time… and… I… I think… I hope… you feel the same.”

“You… do…?”

Aaron nodded.

“I thought you weren’t interested.”

“What? But… I thought you were… What about Alex?”

“I broke up with him weeks ago. He wasn’t exactly heart broken. I think he knew.” Aaron shrugged. “But you still haven’t answered my question so I guess I was wrong. Forget I said anything. I’ll get a taxi home.” He said and got back up and went back inside.

Robert looked at the closed door and mentally kicked himself for not saying anything.

“Idiot!” He said again and yanked the door open and went to find Aaron. He scanned the club and cursed Aaron for his love of black on black when it came to his outfits.

He found him near the photobooth being chatted up by some guy in a t shirt that seemed at least 3 sizes too small.

“Aaron, a word, please?” Robert said and dragged Aaron into the photobooth without waiting for an answer. “I am interested. I’m very interested. I… I think I’m in love with you too. No I know I am. I… I’m just an idiot and I’m - ”

Aaron shut him up with a kiss.

“You talk too much.” He said when they pulled back.

Robert laughed a little and leaned back in for another kiss.

Neither man noticed the flashes from the photobooth.


End file.
